Browse Items (824 total)

  • Tags: heavy conversion unit

BMooreDMooreDv1.pdf
Dennis Moore's autobiography, compiled and edited by his son, Terry Moore.

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BCurnockRMCurnockRMv1.pdf
A memoir written by Dick Curnock. It covers his wartime service and also his service after the war for the RAF. It covers his brother Sam and his accident as a pilot. Dick started his training at Lords in London, RAF Bridlington then RAF Bridgnorth…

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MSayFD752638-170912-06.jpg
A summary of Fred Say's RAF training, operational flying and post war employment.

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BFraserDKFraserDKv1.pdf
Memoir describing his life and service career in the RAF. He also gives a list of 29 operations he participated in with notes on specific operations, and recounts a brief history of the Lancaster.

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MPettyD189456-160831-01.jpg
Brief memoirs recorded by Doug Petty during his RAF service. They cover the period from June 1943 to April 1947.

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BHorshamESHorshamESv10001.jpg
Brief recollection of Eric Horsham from his early years in Plumstead, training at Lords, Torquay, St Athans, Marston Moor then 102 Squadron at Pocklngton. On one operation they were badly damaged but made a successful forced landing at RAF…

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BCuttsECuttsEv10001.jpg
Two typewritten pages detailing the life of Ernest Cutts. He was the youngest of seven children, born in NW Victoria, Australia. He enlisted as aircrew on his 18th birthday and was posted to No 1 Recruit Training School in Victoria. Next he went to…

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BPerryWRPPerryWRPv3.pdf
Gives outline of service history. Goes on to describe joining the RAF, early training, journey across the Atlantic to Canada for pilot training. Gives account of training in Canada and on return to the United Kingdom. Writes of operations on 106…

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BDennisFDennisFv1.pdf
In 1943 Frank completed an engineering apprenticeship and volunteered to join the Royal Air Force as a flight engineer. He completed basic training in London, where he witnessed the fatal crash of a C-47 and then went to Initial Training Wing at RAF…

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BAllnuttFJAllnuttFJv1.pdf
This is part of John Allnutt's life story, from when he was a teenager on the family farm in Australia just before the war, joining the Royal Australian Air Force, his aircrew training in Australia. It continues with his journey across the Pacific,…

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ABiltonGHA960623-0001.pdf
Talks of early life at school and work in Hull. Volunteered as ARP messenger and described duties and air raid damage in Hull. Volunteered as aircrew and initially selected for wireless operator/air gunner but later asked to change to air engineer.…

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[1]DAVID AND THE RAF2 (2).pdf
Account of Wing Commander David Donaldson's RAF career from his early interest in flying and joining the Royal Air Force volunteer reserve in 1934, call up in 1939 and operational tours on 149 Squadron, 57 Squadron, flight commander 156 Squadron…

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AMartinEJ181202.mp3
John Martin was born in June 1922 and lived in London. He always wanted the opportunity to fly and so at the age of 19 volunteered to join the Royal Air Force as an armourer. He was not accepted as he was in a reserved occupation. Eventually he…

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PThomasWK1601.jpg
Ken changed from the Merchant Navy to the Royal Air Force. He became a flight mechanic but after night school, decided to apply for aircrew. Ken went to the Air Crew Receiving Centre at St John’s Wood. He proceeded to No 4 Initial Training Wing at…

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PCrossleyD1501.jpg
Don Crossley was born in South Emsall in 1924. He tells of his time before the war working at Upton Colliery before joining the Royal Air Force. He volunteered and trained, initially, as a wireless operator/air gunner. He tells of his experience at…

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PCurnockRM1602.jpg
Richard Curnock was born in Grantham and joined the Royal Air Force in 1941.He achieved the rank of warrant officer and served in 425 Squadron. Richard tells of how he followed his two older brothers into the services, and his time serving in the Air…

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PKempMWD1603.jpg
Before joining the Royal Air Force in January 1944, Maurice helped to build Coningsby aerodrome. After attending an Aircrew Reception Centre at Edgbaston, he passed as a wireless operator gunner, finishing as a gunner. He joined up at Lord’s…

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PPettyD1601.jpg
Born in Shildon, County Durham Doug Petty was a car maintenance apprentice before joining the Royal Air Force in 1942 as a flight engineer.
He completed technical training at RAF St Athan, where he met Betty, his future wife. From there Doug went to…

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PColingE1801.jpg
Eric Coling’s father died when Eric was a child which left his mother to cope on her own economically. Eric and his sister were sent to live in an orphanage but their mother was able to visit monthly. When Eric left the orphanage he began working…

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PRoseHP1801.jpg
Hayden Philip Rose was born on the 27th of July 1924. After leaving school he worked in the Simmonds factory office before joining the RAF in 1943, training as an engineer. His brothers also joined, becoming a pilot and a navigator. Upon meeting his…

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PWalkerT1801.jpg
Tom was born in Stainforth, near Doncaster. His father and two brothers were miners. One of his sisters was in the Auxiliary Territorial Service and the other was a qualified nurse; she became a sister in Barnsley Hospital until she joined the Army.…

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ACuthbertJ160507.mp3
With both air and radio knowledge, John wanted to be a wireless operator/air gunner so volunteered for the Royal Air Force. He went to RAF Cardington and completed initial training but re-mustered as an air gunner as the radio schools were full.…

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ATyrellLR150929.mp3
Leonard Ralph Tyrell mentions always being keen on aircraft since he was a boy. He was sent to RAF Syerston near Nottingham for Lancaster Finishing School, and then an advanced flying unit near Wolverhampton, before heading to number 17 OTU at RAF…

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LPackhamG1214349v1.jpg
A list, taken from Geoff's logbook, of RAF stations where he served or was trained.

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BPayneGPayneGv1.pdf
Geoff Payne's autobiography divided into five chapters.

Chapter 1. Under Training.
Having been assessed in Birmingham Geoff sets off to London in August 1942 for training, at Lords. Initial training was at Bridlington then gunnery school at…

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